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Okay, just pretend I posted that fanart of lil-Vriska reading lil-Kanaya a page from Mindfang's journal and then going "8OOM ALL THE BUCKETS WERE FILLED THAT DAY! ALL OF THEM" followed by a phone call between their lususes because I've been combing old threads for it and can't find it.

It used to be that when you were bored with paperwork, you would go distract yourself by sharpening one of your favorite knives, or give your most disapproving scowl through a fenestrated wall to survey the kingdom. But those were simpler times. There is only one cure for boredom befitting a demigod, and that is more senseless killing.

You consult your proud long snout for assistance with the hunt. You pick up the maddening scent of one of the young graveyard stuffers. You are sure it is the same one you slaughtered earlier, and yet his stench remains, confounding you from every direction. It is as if THE BREEZE which carries it deliberately seeks to obfuscate the odor's origin. Your thoughts become more murderous with each blustery taunt.

> Jack: Suppress thoughts of unfathomable Snausages.

This is one of my favorite commands ever.

Hehehehe.

You could not do it.

You could not kill the girl.

He says you mean the COURTYARD Droll? He wants to be sure this is the same droll you're talking about. You say yeah, what's the problem? He says, you mean the very same droll who couldn't manage the one simple task assigned to him, to steal the White Queen's ring from the very same adoring, wonderful girl and master and friend in question? Wait. He says he just means girl. Just girl. You didn't hear any of that.

You don't say anything.

He says fine. You win. Sic the stupid droll on her, what does he care.

He says fine, if you really must examine a meaningless and extraordinarily dangerous exhibit of meteorological phenomena, then go ahead. But be ready to embark on the mission not a moment later. You say alright, and wonder what you should do to prepare. He asks if you have a good winter hat.

You nearly drop the radio in excitement.

You are momentarily afforded the peace of mind to resume a dull, quiet life of semi-restrained murder. Maybe you will wait here and see if the boy shows up. It's reasonable to assume he will seek these adults. Certainly easier to let him come to you than follow an untraceable scent. Or maybe you will take a look inside this castle. Perhaps there are survivors here fit for the offing? You GUESS that could serve some amusement.

This is why you find all those dead soldiers in [ S] Seer: Descend.

You wish you could consult the clouds for answers. But they never show you anything.

I always feel like it's important to note that Skaia will only show certain people things in the clouds.

Hours ago, you entered an unfamiliar session. You killed a thousand robotic assailants. You destroyed twelve planets with ease, methodically and cyclically, like a single stained hand of a defective clock smearing each number it passes. You reduced Prospit and Derse to dust, and murdered a whole bunch of alien kids in yellow and purple pajamas.

You are now the Maid of Time, recently resurrected from the crypt of Derse. Your name is Aradia Megido, and for the first time in your life, you feel truly alive.

We should over analyze this more. The green tennis balls look sort of like a green sun. The hydrants are the color of blood. The Beggin’ Strips represent his victims begging for relief. Snausages in a Blanket are similar to bodies in a funeral shroud. The mail represents those human souls he sends to the afterlife with the grim reaper playing the role of the postman. The bones represent delicious bones.

AA: i did find s0me 0ther neat things d0wn here t00 which are strange but quite harmless and n0t f0reb0ding in the least!TA: liike what?AA: like this AMAZING hat!
AA: it is an authentic arche0l0gists hat its s0 hard t0 find them in this style
AA: there are n0 h0rn h0les but i l0ve it anyway its great
TA: pretty 2weet aa.

Sweet indeed.

I love how Robo-Aradia continues to wear the hat through this sequence. What I don't love is that she changes her text color so I have to remember which is which! Grr.

AA: you should be able to relax now that youve been released from the curse of your vision twofold just like you said youd be
AA: you are now merely doomed!TA: 0h.
TA: that's... awes0me?AA: being d00med isnt that bad
AA: i spent m0st 0f my life that way remember
AA: at least y0u have the luxury 0f understanding
AA: and the best part ab0ut being d00med is y0u 0nly have t0 put up with it until y0u dieAA: thats the spirit hahaha

AA: jade is very nice and she did nothing wrong
AA: none of them did so when you wake up maybe you should try to reconcile with them or at the very least just say hello

Yeah!

AA: to navigate the furthest ring you need to have mastered the flow of time!
AA: that is why i am here
AA: i am alive again so i may assist the dead in this way

AA: im wearing a hood and have butterfly wings what else would you like to knowTA: man, being blind is dumb, can i like gr0pe y0u 0r s0mething t0 get up t0 date 0n y0ur appearance, w0uld that be weird?
AA: yes sollux that would probably be pretty weird

Yeah...

AA: you see those encounters you had with me before have not happened for me yet because ive only just arrived
AA: time follows strange paths here as does space
AA: if you travel a great enough distance you may discover you are also traveling either backwards or forwards in time as well!
AA: just as if you stay in one place for too long the geometry of space surrounding you will become unreliable
AA: you may swat the air to your left and discover you have just slapped yourself!

Spoiler:

AA: the only way to make sense of it is to understand either property very well
AA: and since i am new here i have some learning to do just like everyone else
AA: but i do know one thingGG: what!
AA: i knew that the first bubble i would enter would be an important one for us to visit

GA: It Seemed Obvious
GA: Either Im Sleeping Or Im Dead Which Is ItAA: oh i am sure you are alive
AA: you are unconscious now and will likely wake up as your new self very soonGA: My New Self
AA: yes
AA: you are undergoing a metamorphosis which you have been groomed for since you were very young

... huh. This is about as much detail as we currently know about this, I'm pretty sure.

GG: yes but you probably havent yet
GG: not from your perspective..... i could not help but overhear you are asleep now
GG: you told me all about what happened after you woke up!GA: About What
GG: about how you turned into a vampireGA: Whats A VampireTA: thith ith ribicul0uth.AA: thollux is right
AA: i mean sollux

Hehehehe, "thollux".

Okay, I am probably going to end up quoting most of this but it's kind of important!

AA: an incomplete fragment consisting of four symbols
AA: comprising the first word of a binary refrain
AA: a pair of sounds emerging from the belly of a fabled tyrants menace
AA: but you authored only one sound of the pair

AA: in the soot of my ruined hive i scrawled my part of the code
AA: completing the phrase of legend
AA: the persisting sounds said to accompany the ultimate demise of the tyrant less an arm and an eye

Is this a hint? This has to be a hint.

AA: there was another half by scourge in two parts
AA: one part three symbols

AA: and the other
AA: five
AA: why the scale was tipped in this way between sisters
AA: i cannot say!

AA: each fragment would be transcribed in our rulebooks
AA: sealing the collaboration between rust bloods and blue bloods
AA: completing the code for our sessions architectAA: not exactly
AA: there was another fragmentAA: oh?AA: yes
AA: an additional eight symbols
AA: from a wild card source i suppose

AA: it came from a timeline not meant to happen
AA: the one i came from to ensure it wouldnt
AA: thus sealing my fate

AA: i believed the fragment was gibberish from a lunatic
AA: after completing his rampage through our session
AA: since it was not part of the scripted chronology i was oblivious until it was too late to stop it
AA: not that it would matter if i did the timeline had already gone astray
AA: i pieced together what had happened by sleuthing the various scenes
AA: and discovered the text which the code was recorded in
AA: i decided to return to the alpha timeline with the text
AA: as evidence for his madness i guess
AA: in the alpha timeline this text was destroyed
AA: in an explosion caused by a computer virus
AA: this explosion did not take place on my timeline
AA: i identified this event as the difference prompting the offshoot
AA: and returned to our planet via the reckoning just as i did at the end of my life
AA: though that time deliberately
AA: to influence events quietly to make sure it happened
AA: and later joined the rest of our doomed selves to help defeat the king
AA: the others surely had similar responsibilities along the way

AA: as for the book
AA: i lost track of it shortly after i arrivedAA: yes we all lost track of our books

AA: they were gathered surreptitiously by agents assigned to the task

AA: and in the veil their codes were merged with the ghost imprints of other mysterious artifacts

AA: our first guardian was brought to life on the seed to pass through skaias final gate of defense
AA: the first to find alternia

[In fact, I think it would be for the best if I commandeered the narrative completely for a while. I trust you won't mind if I speak in white.]

Depending on how you view the forums this may or may not be total pain in the ass!

Actually, the text color thing is one of the things that sunk my Doc Scratch OP... too many folks (like myself) use alternate forum themes to really do the OP justice.

Okay, I just checked this on Chrome. This will be a total pain with the default theme. Well... when we get to the [o] pages I'll use the default text color since I can't change the background color. Okay? Well, I may spoil some parts of the post. That should make it easier as well.

Spoiler:

I know the identity of anyone who stands behind this door, even in those cases where I have not extended an invitation to the visitor personally. Pardon me while I let Jack inside.

Not going to tell me? Fine, I won't tell you my name either.

What's that? I see. You think you already know my name. You do not know my real name, Jack, just as none of your adversaries on this planet know yours. You only know my nickname.

For Jack... he means Jack, which is the name of the game construct. But I believe we speculated about this earlier in this thread... what, then, is Doc Scratch's actual name?

I will proceed to beat you severely until you agree to do what I ask. I trust you won't take it personally.

We've got a few months before that, though.

Now please excuse me. I have to talk to a teenage girl from another universe.

I am right to be smug. I am omniscient, extremely powerful, and very charming.TT: Well,
TT: Two out of three isn't bad.
TT: Can you use your limitless intelligence to figure out which ones I mean?
That was clever.
If I plead ignorance to the fact that you are denying my charisma, it invalidates my claim of omniscience.
But if I must adhere to my all knowing status, it forces me to validate the unfortunate reality that you are feigning the opinion that my demeamor is unpalatable.
Not that it matters, because I have all three qualities and you know it.

Almost, Rose, almost.

TT: I thought you didn't lie.
TT: Aren't jokes essentially humorous lies?
TT: At least, those like the one you just attempted.Jokes are only temporary lies.
If the falsehood is never exposed, there is no punchline. If the punchline is never delivered, the lie is sealed forever, regardless of initial humorous intent. Lies are not funny.TT: I think if you're going to risk tarnishing your record of honesty, you should probably get better material.
My joke was objectively funny. Who would know better than I?TT: Ok.
TT: So you're saying an inaccurate statement doesn't count as a lie, as long as you say "just kidding" later?
Basically.TT: What if it's much later? Is it still "just a joke?"
No, that would be something closer to a prank.
I don't play pranks very often.TT: Are you allowed to lie about playing pranks? If I asked you if you were playing a prank on me, would you tell the truth?
I am allowed to do whatever I want. I choose never to lie. I also choose to tell jokes now and then, and to play pranks quite sparingly.
But I can say that I have never played a prank on you, and no statement I have made to you thus far, or will make in this conversation, will contain any trace of falsehood for the sake of setting up a joke or a prank, with the exception of the joke I just made, and another one I will make very soon.

This guy is like a logic puzzle from my discrete math class in college.

Also, if you were millions of years old, you would find that nearly every lady you encounter is quite young, relatively speaking.
There should be no reason for you to feel uncomfortable with this interaction. Try to think of me as one of your kindly human uncle figures.
In fact, if I were in your presence now, I would offer you candy to prove it.TT: Oh my god.

That almost has to be a joke, doesn't it?

TT: It's a large plateau shaped like a record. It's called the Beat Mesa.I know.
TT: Is the game construct different in other sessions?Yes.
It will always be an edifice of similarly cryptic design, located on the planet that is home to the Hero of Time.
Its environment dictates the nature of its construction. Its power is dangerous, and is meant to be utilized only in emergencies such as yours.
TT: You mean, in sessions where victory is no longer possible?

Among other things, doesn't this imply there will always be a Hero of Time?

I didn't lead you to believe anything.
I told you to find the construct and await advisement on the Scratch. The plans you were making were based on assumptions and fabrications of your imagination. You were writing more stories, much like those about your false magical men.

I have to believe there's a bit of meta-commentary going on here.

Yes, Jack will exit your session later, but this has nothing to do with the Scratch.
Not directly, as you imply.TT: I don't understand.
TT: I thought that was the point of the Scratch, to open a rift in spacetime as it were, and banish him into the trolls' session.
No.
That is not the purpose of the Scratch at all. The Scratch does not open a rift in spacetime.

I still thought it did that until I read this again. This is an important detail, I feel.

This has also been discussed a lot in the past two threads, but it bears repeating:

TT: You say you don't lie, but what about lies of omission?Lies of omission do not exist.
The concept is a very human one. It is the product of your story writing again. You have written a story about the truth, making emotional demands of it, and in particular, of those in possession of it.
Your demands are based on a feeling of entitlement to the facts, which is very childish. You can never know all of the facts. Only I can.
And since it's impossible for me to reveal all facts to you, it is my discretion alone that decides which facts will be revealed in the finite time we have.
If I do not volunteer information you deem critical to your fate, it possibly means that I am a scoundrel, but it does not mean that I am a liar. And it certainly means you did not ask the right questions.
One can make either true statements or false statements about reality. All of the statements I make are true.
TT: Unless you're joking.Yes.
TT: Haa haa, hee hee, hoo hoo?Exactly.

TT: What exactly does the Scratch do, then?It resets the game.
TT: Oh.
TT: That's it?Yes.
TT: Then,
TT: We all start from the beginning again? When John entered?No.
The release of temporal energy will be quite massive.
This is a hard reset. It will reboot the conditions in your universe well before you began playing the game.
You will have lived different lives after the reset. The different initial conditions will ideally lead to a more favorable scenario in the new session.
Unfortunately, you will have no memory of anything that has happened in the session you are in now.
TT: What will happen to us? Everyone in this session now?You will all cease to exist completely if you remain here during the Scratch.

Since this timeline will undergo such a violent upheaval, such a merger of memory cannot happen.
You will be resigned to absolute oblivion.
Unless you can discover a way to preserve yourselves.
But it's not really my place to advise you on that.
After you have dealt with the Scratch and the sun, what happens to you is not any of my business.

More omission, perhaps? Presumably, the plan for the kids and trolls to meet is based on self-preservation more than anything.

I'm getting close, you guys. I may actually even get to the end of Disc 1 tonight.

Mostly spoiled again.

Spoiler:

By resetting, you will create a session which can bear the fruit of a new universe, even if you will not be the ones to claim the reward.
Don't you want to fulfill your purpose?TT: I guess.
TT: But it's a little disheartening to learn I'm now faced with not one, but two suicide missions at once.
TT: One to destroy Jack's power source and defend all of existence, and another to ensure our cosmic progeny at the price of oblivion.
That frames the dual objectives accurately.
But if you are inventive, you may find a way to survive the reset and participate in the renewed session.
It's up to you.

I know I'm quoting a lot of this but this may really be the most important conversation in all of Act 5 if not Homestuck. The whole thing is basically an expository setup for the rest of the kids' parts of Act 5.

TT: Maybe this question will suit you better.
TT: Is it probable?That's a strange question to ask someone who is omniscient and therefore knows outcomes with one hundred percent certainty.
I like it.
TT: Then what's your answer?You have exactly a fifty percent chance of ascending to the god tier.
TT: That's a strange answer.I know.
TT: Why such a precise probability?Because, much like the decisions you must face to complete your dual suicide missions, you have two ways of achieving godhood to choose from.
TT: Two ways?
TT: By dying on the Quest Bed on my planet, and some other way?Yes.
TT: Is there another Quest Bed somewhere?Yes. Good guess, Seer.
TT: Where?What difference does it make? You already know where the first one is. You have the choice to go there right now and take your own life.

This is a great mix of things we already know, and some things up coming that we already didn't. For instance, we have already seen what are presumably both methods in action. John and Vriska ascended via the Quest Beds on their planets, whereas Aradia - previously thought to be lacking a dreamself - turned out to be in hers the whole time.

Of course, given what we know will happen to Rose and Dave, a bed on Derse would be their only available options.

But on the flip side, notice that while Doc said "50%" he referred to the two possibilities of as ascending via her planet's Quest Bed or the other way, as though each thing had a 50% chance of occurring. More logic crap - is he simply omitting the possibility the won't ascend?

Of course, the below may be the most quoted part of this conversation.

TT: A god tier will live forever, with no caveats?No.
One will live forever, unless killed.
The death must be either heroic or just.
TT: How are those terms defined?Broadly, mysteriously, and according to the case of the individual.
One may be killed by opposing a corrupt adversary and die for a just cause, as through martyrdom, for instance. This would be heroic.
Or one may be subject to corruption, and slain by a hero. This would be just.

Was any other thing quoted as often this past summer? I don't think so. I probably quoted this dozens of times myself.

My master can't enter this universe until I am killed.
Such is the nature of the break.TT: That almost sounds like martyrdom. Are you sure it won't be a hero's death?
Quite sure.
My master is a very evil man.TT: Who is he?
I won't tell you his name.
But he goes by the title, Lrd English.

Two things. First, we learn that Lord English is the entity's title, and not his name. Second, it's interesting that Doc Scratch would describe him as "evil". In reality, I really doubt most anyone thinks they are "evil". Even people who almost everyone would think are evil do not think of themselves that way. Real life villians after all do not twirl their mustaches in dark towers while laughing manically.

If this is foreshadowing I will probably smash something.

Spoiler:

But you must decide which objective is more important.
You may decide to attempt to destroy the sun and end my life. This will neutralize Jack, who is also much more powerful and dangerous than myself by virtue of the ring he wears in addition to drawing energy from the same sun as I. He poses a significant threat to reality.TT: But in the process of killing him and you, I release your master, who is just as deadly?
He's more deadly.
But the danger he poses is sanctioned by paradox space.
It is a known quantity. His very existence in a universe will mean it will inevitably be torn apart.
But there are rules to his entry, and his grim procession through paradox space is rather orderly. The present equilibrium has accounted for him, and will continue to.
Jack however is a loose cannon. He will not stop until he destroys everything he encounters.

This is also an old saw. But another old saw - especially in video games - is to a have a lesser villian that you think is the real bad guy and then pull back the curtain to show that, in fact, you have a much bigger problem. Chrono Trigger quickly comes to mind.

Instances of myself have spawned in countless universes, and my objective is always the same.
I have never once failed to complete this objective, and I never will.
There is nothing noble about taking a course of action you believe would prevent his arrival, because that is impossible.
He will come.
In fact, he is already here.

This almost seems like a challenge more than anything else to me.

I myself do not care to be an oracle. But I can graciously supply you with one.TT: Can you?
An eager consort has brought you one of my seeds. It appears you have amassed followers who wish to please you. How fortuitous.TT: Your seeds?
The white orb.TT: Oh. The cue ball. How did I not notice this?
It will accurately answer any question a curious girl can pose.
Provided she can see through the surface to read its reply.

Vriska found one of these somehow (perhaps in the cache she got from her ancestor?), and Scratch caused it to blow up in her face once he was made aware of it. Meanwhile, he presents Rose with one willingly. (Of course, we still don't know how pre-entry Jade got hers, I don't think.)

TT: Ok. Magic is fake, the wands are useless toys, and there is something else going on. Next question???Would it be so difficult to believe the power you've found to devastate your planet and create shortcuts through your session is not entirely by your own device?
Would it be so difficult to believe a young lady could be unwittingly apprenticed by more powerful entities who meant her potential to be realized later through some arbitrary trigger?
What would you say if I said a dutiful girl raised in the daylight was protected by a bulb-headed guardian, and learned to glow in the dark after death?
What would you say if I said a vengeful boy on a path of nihilism was taken under the wings of fearsome angels, and learned to destroy hope with their light?
What would you say if I said a reserved girl enamored by what dwelt in shadow was selected by the horrorterrors for service, and did their bidding at every step while convinced of her own autonomy?

1. Kanaya
2. Eridan
3. Rose

TT: That I should renounce my "allegiance" before my grimdark corruption is absolute.
TT: And while I'm at it, I should discard these useless wands, because apparently the power was in my little black heart all along. Is that right?

Of course, if we all recall how this ends, we know that her corruption is about to become absolute. But what the hell does it mean?

To this point the slim morsels we have been given hint that the Gods of the Furthest Ring oppose Lord English - I think (that is how little we've been given). We know that with Scratch's encouragement Rose looks into the ball and becomes grimdark. We also know this leads her to become almost singlemindly obsessed with fighting Jack, which results in her death. Could it be interpreted as Scratch/English allowing the the Horrortenders a temporary victory to get alive Rose out of the picture, and to facilitate her getting back to Derse to complete the Green Sun mission?

TT: Why would I be upset?GG: umGG: becauseGG: uhhh i figured you would have found out by now but i guess you still dont know?TT: Know what?GG: about...GG: johns dadGG: and.......GG: your mom GG: rose?GG: hello???GG: oh noo :'(

Of course, I guess this doesn't help the short-term obession with killing Jack.

TT: For some reason, despite all the danger, I never thought she was in any trouble.
TT: I never believed she would actually die.
TT: I grew up with the feeling that something more significant had always been meant for her.
TT: That she was a heroine displaced in some way, resigned to the inglorious duty of raising me, and preparing me in her way.
TT: I didn't actually need the ectobiological verification that she was like a mother and a sister at the same time. I always understood that somehow.
TT: And I felt she had knowledge and ability beyond what she let on. It was always intimidating, but nonetheless a source of respect which was childishly begrudging on my part.
TT: I think she was just waiting for me to catch up with her.
TT: But now I can't.

This is a blue light special on Scratch speculation right here.

TT: Whether my existing plan was sensible or not,
TT: I may have been allowing myself to be manipulated by an omniscient being regardless.GG: what? who?Hello ladies.

Spoiler:

GG: please dont rose, i know you are angry but you arent thinking straightTT: But I am.
TT: I'm fully aware I'll probably die and fail. Scratch happens, we start fresh. No recollection, no problem.GG: nooo Jade, as an ambassador of Skaia, maybe you'd be willing to talk some sense into your friend?
You should understand she's been corrupted by various entities with some rather questionable motives.

Says you!

TT: They are enormous, ugly, and live in darkness.
TT: That doesn't necessarily make them bad.GG: no...
GG: but i still dont trust them!If only there were a way to make this determination with certainty.
Through a reliable source within reach, for instance, at this exact moment. Perhaps one that is spherical, and devastatingly handsome.

This goes back to what I talked about in the last post. Are Scratch and the Dark Ones on the same side, or the former granting the latter a temporary victory?

GG: well
GG: since we dont know much about the gods...
GG: why dont you ask it about them?TT: So, you're saying I should ask it if the gods are evil?
GG: i guess that is a way to put itEven though at this point neither of you is highlighting my text to read it, this idea gets my vote.
Go ahead.
Ask, Seer.

You slip into the fabled blackdeath trance of the woegothics, quaking all the while in the bloodeldritch throes of the broodfester tongues. You advise the members of your Complacency not to be alarmed, as they chronicle the event in tomes bound in the tanned, writhing flesh of a tortured hellscholar, with runes stroked in the black tears bled from the corruption-weary eyes of fifty thousand imaginary occultists.

But they fail to not be alarmed.

This is because, as is now painfully obvious to anyone with a brain, you have basically gone completely off the deep end in every way.

There were actually some people at the time who complained about these soundless mini-flashes. Not only does this prove that people will complain about anything, it also shows those people forgot how many of these were in Acts 1 and 2.

Spoiler:

What are those doing there? And note Dave's has a crack going through it.

But your love for Liv is not fatherly, oh no. This reunion is with no loving daughter, but a loving movie star fantasy crush, who happens to be in the form of a robot bunny which has traveled through time, and been given as a gift on five separate occasions, twice by you and thrice to you, and originally fished out of a sewer by Nicholas Cage on the silver screen.

I really like the "your love for Live is not fatherly, oh no" line, but the rest of this is a good refresher if you've forgotten your bunny history.

Spoiler:

But whatever could we do with such a tiny hammer?
I'm going to break this note down.

John!!! One more thing...

First off, the text color is the EXACT SAME as Jadesprite's. No two other characters with non-default text colors share the same color.

This rabbit im sure youve noticed is armed to the stitches! Hes got all four of the funny little weapons i mentioned thatre all deadly as the fucking dickens but that doesnt mean they are meant exclusively for the paws of mr terry kiser. (That is the name i call him.) Heck no.

"Terry Kiser (born August 1, 1939) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of the dead title-character in the comedy Weekend at Bernie's, and its sequel, Weekend at Bernie's II." -- Wikipedia

You see i adapted terry with some doodads you may deem practical. An infinitesimalator which i used to littlefy them down in the first place as well as a monstrositifier for when you would like to hugen them up and wield them yourself! Hes surely got enough juice in him to make them enormous if you wish. But thats silly what would you even do with say a magic needle the size of a skyscraper for instance? Preposterous!

Well, gee, I don't know! I bet you could for sure scratch something up real good with a needle like that!

I borrowed this technology from my grandmother who had quite the way with manipulating space. Legend tells she was something of a witch with the stuff! Once she was a brave hero like you and i john and the stars themselves twinkled in her cauldron. I would like to tell you who my grandmother is i really would. But i cant. I think i have trouble keeping secrets. I like to be honest just like you and a lot of secrecy after a while gets me feeling a bit jaded. Heh heh.

More understatements, and more questions. First off: "Once she was a brave hero like you and i john." Who the hell is "I" here and when/in what reality was he a hero? Honestly, based on his usage of slang it's hard not to think the original speculation was right and this is actually Jade's grandpa. Or, if you want to put a scratch theory twist on it - the equivalent of Jade's Grandpa in the scratched session.

Green means grow red means shrink! See you soon pal.

Wait... what?

J.

And what does this "J" stand for?!?

Jade's Penpal - probably one of the longest running mysteries in Homestuck. And, for now at least, remains that way.

There she is. Forged in fire by the smiths of Pipplemop, commissioned by the sage Lord of the Wozzinjay Fiefdom in the Realm of the Snargly Fruzmigbubbins.

Note, for those of you who have been reading along: The Warhammer of Zillyhoo is not this hammer from earlier in our adventure. There couple a couple of reasons why:
1) Hussie forgot, which I doubt, because otherwise he probably would not have shown how much grist it cost to make Zillyhoo.
2) It actually is a different hammer, because the unknown one uses the Problem Sleuth book whereas Zillyhoo is from one of the non-canon bonus comics.
3) Some other reason

Also, I guess that thing with Gamzee and Karkat didn't really pan out?

Um, it's good thing we didn't need the green monstrositifier for anything.

The squat fellow mediates between the two bickering parties, and patches up Liv's missing eye.

I JUST GOT THIS.

You give your wallet to your loyal chauffeur familiar. He looks puzzled. You inform the party that you will not be going on this journey. You must remain behind and continue looking for your father.

But you insist their mission is the most critical of all! You know they can handle it. You believe in them.

You instruct Captain Tyler to set a course for the ship's home. They must fly to Derse, and deliver the Tumor to the moon. Everyone salutes their intrepid friendleader. This is what teamwork is all about.

You are quite sure you have not failed to account for even a single thing.

GG: i cant say for sure because i cant see her with my goggles anymore for some reason, but i am fearing the worst
GG: just in case, you should to try to intercept her before she does something stupid like try to fight him!!!!!
GG: also, um...
GG: i guess you probably still dont know about your dad yet do you?

GG: oh god please dont tell me your computer was in the wallet you just gave that guy.....
GG: dammit john!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GG: one of these days you will learn the value of having plenty of backup computers
GG: in fact whenever you finally leave the battlefield i am going to give you the code for a nice pair of lunchmuffs
GG: and then i am going to force you to keep them on your head AT ALL TIMES!
GG: yeah, youre never going to read this are you :|

John, I swear. Maybe I should've kept a tally of how many computing devices he has lost over the course of the story.

AG: John!!!!!!!!
AG: You're heading into the 8lackout, so I won't 8e a8le to see you until you leave.
AG: 8ut don't worry, I can still sense you are there. 8ecause of awesome powers, remem8er?
AG: Smooth move, ditching your computer like that, 8y the way. That was some incredi8le leadership you showed!
AG: Now I have to contact you through Rose, thus exposing me to the risk of actually having to taaaaaaaalk to her........
AG: Your carelessness has put the Heroes of Light in a very awkward position, John. I hope you're satisfied.
AG: Hahahaha, just kidding. She's o8viously a little too "preoccupied" at the moment to 8e sassing me.
AG: Just 8orrow her computer and talk to me when you get the chance, ok?
AG: I will 8e w8ing. ::::)

It bears an inscription: 'Our Glorious Speaker.'
His head was lopped clean off, with some sort of sharp, sword-like object. Someone around here sure must hate frogs. You wonder who it could be?

(It was probably Jack.)

The stairs are blocked. You suppose you could easily remove the obstacle, but that would spoil a perfectly good opportunity to look for secret passages.

Well, or check out more stuff.

Like this bookcase, for instance.

Or this chest!

Open chest.

You got A TROPHY!

I think they're Bro's shades.

So you can examine each individual case here. Let's get down to business.

You find an ancient unlabeled tome, and read an excerpt.
'Though we adore Him we shall never enjoy His beateous Croak. We spill our blood on acres of black and white so they may cross the yellow yard. At last in Skaia's reflection through broken glass He may find the pond in which He's meant to squat.'

> Examine bookshelf.

'Journey to the Center of the Battlefield'
Looks to be a fairy tale for youngsters. The hero is a dashing young man in a blue hood. He heals the planet from within, but can do nothing to stop its annhilation from above, nor its soon to follow eradication from reality. It must be sad growing up in a culture whose mythology is centered almost completely around futility.

> Examine bookshelf.

This is a book on theoretical physics, and complex spatial geometrics based on the hypothetical addition of orbs to the queen's ring. The shapes in the diagrams are very complex. This sort of nonsense is regarded as crackpottery at best. Why would the queen ever wear more than four orbs? Four towers, four orbs, four heroes; this is a sacred truth.

> Examine bookshelf.

'A Foot Soldier's Guide to Combat'
Most of the diagrams in this book involve a soldier advancing by a single tile, either straight ahead, or diagonally when lunging with a weapon. No wonder these guys are so easy to kill.

We go to the other side of the room where... we find an alive Prospitian solider?

He is too frightened to speak! He seems to indicate that the only reason he survived this massacre was by hiding behind this pillar. Thank goodness for pillars.

> Open chest.

You got A TROPHY!

There is no other reaction to finding your mom's scarf.

Hey, more bookshelves! What'd I tell ya!

> Examine bookshelf.

'Her hands are in my service but they still shake. They unfasten the first button at my royal gown's waist, clumsily.'
This...
This is erotic fanfiction written about the queen in the first person. This doesn't belong in this library.
This doesn't belong anywhere.

> Examine bookshelf.

More books. You really have better things to go do than to read a lot of books written by chess guys.

Do we, though? Do we really?

> Examine bookshelf.

books books books

> Examine bookshelf.

'Data Structure for Assholes 2: Now Written to Accomodate the Shortcomings of the Mentally Retarded'

I didn't like some of my CS textbooks, but geez.

> Examine bookshelf.

'Grimoire for Summoning the Zoologically Dubious'
This is apparently on loan from the Dersite Library. It seems unlikely to be returned at this point.

I'll say.

I mean, these shelves go on for awhile... oh hey another chest!

> Open chest.

You got A TROPHY!

Oh hey what's that twinkling thing on that bookshelf?

Eh, let's ignore it and examine the last three bookshelves for some reason.

> Examine bookshelf.

You think you know what you might find on this shelf. Just a hunch... Yep. More books.

> Examine bookshelf.

'Rise of the Slayer'
A horror story meant to scare children. Writers of Prospitian fiction tend to write what they see in the clouds. Hence their fables tend to be events which simply haven't happened yet, or happened in another realm. They like to use the word fiction so that kids don't get TOO scared.

> Examine bookshelf.

'Problem Sooth'
You have been meaning to read this one. Absolutely required reading for any promising young seer who has blundered into entanglement with the occult through an absurd sequence of events.

Okay, I guess we don't have much of a choice now.

The shelf disappears.

And we enter this room.

Full of other survivors. First things first - let's check out those chests.

> Open chest.

You got a FLAMING METEOR CHUNK!
This isn't even treasure. How is this treasure?

> Open chest.

You got the BANNER OF THE VILLEIN! You suddenly fell inspired. In a generally rebellious, united sort of way.

You can also talk to the surviving soldiers. They don't speak themselves, but the game tells you some stuff.

He seems to be relieved that he and a handful of fellow soldiers have found a secret hideaway to escape the bloody rampage. Maybe if they regroup, and marshal all their remaining forces, they can TAKE this guy! (Yeah right!)

> Talk to soldier.

She is all aflutter about a legendary hero. Some guy who was weary of war, apparently. A simple farmer, handsome and brave. You think you are beginning to fall in love with him too.

> Talk to soldier.

She is apparently swooning over a hero of lore shared by the two kingdoms. A great man who united opposing sides against his tryannical king. The revolt ended in tragedy of course, which is typical of their folktales. But it is no less inspiring.

> Talk to soldier.

She looks scared and confused. There is nothing left to do but hide.

> Talk to soldier.

This fellow is mourning the dead. He has probably lost many friends today.

> Talk to soldier.

First he was frightened when you barged in here, and then briefly excied, and now disappointed. He must have thought you were the great dark kingdom's defector, come to save them. Alas, it was only a spooky girl with magic wands.

That's all of them. Let's go. I am sure they will remain perfectly safe in there.

Yes, this, this is what I need.

It is a holy parchment. Maimed Clown. Undead Cat. Impaled Crow. Omnipotent Dog. These four shall be held in reverence for the eternity they serve to cut short.

Something else is definitely alive in this castle. The transportalizer doesn't work at the moment.

Oh dear.

You have never seen anything so sad in your entire life. A beautiful muscular man-stallion, struck down in his prime.
WHAT MONSTER COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEED?
(Hint: it was Jack Noir.)

So up the stairs then.

Wait, what's...
OH SHIT JACK NOIR JUST TELEPORTED AWAY

The trail ends here on account of Jack teleporting away. For all your dark majjjyks, you cannot teleport, so no choice but to press on.

Ah, yes, the curtain room.

> Open Curtains.

There's a bunch of 'em.

> Open Curtains.> Open Curtains.
So that was a total of four red curtains, followed by a blue one.

> Open Curtains.
Followed by another red one.

> Open Curtains.

Followed by a stairwell.

Another room, a lot like the one we were just in.

Except this time the curtains are green.

The sixth one is closed.

The trail picks up again.

And up the stairs.

To...
John?

Err..

John: also, why are you all gray like that? you look weird.

John: it's ok rose, don't worry. we will find a cure for your stubborn throes.John: but i'm still trying to find our parents! i thought my dad might have come to this castle to check out that huge black rain cloud.John: did you see the cloud, rose? it's pretty awesome.Rose: Fnlth gohluyng j'rg hothaht!John: what? you sound kind of upset. what is it rose?Rose: Jgngn, fnlth gohluyng j'rg HOTHAHT!John: wait, are you talking about our parents?

Rose: Shgvb throl. Goors fn'nnyuld hothahty'j otot!John: are you saying they are in trouble??John: oh no! rose, we have to go help them!

John: yes, i am frustrated too. but there is no time for such lamentations!John: do you think you can find them again?Rose: Shruggot.John: great! i can't wait to see my dad. it feels like it's been forever since i saw him.John: please lead the way, rose!

JOHN has joined the party!
Er, the game doesn't say that or anything.

Oh hey, a blocked transportalizer pad. Where could that go?

I'll tell you where it doesn't go, this back room.

This is different.

Ah, that's why.

They make such a cute couple. The king and queen are pretty nice too. Heheheh.

Okay, let's head through that other doorway we saw.
Oh, guess we can't.

The trail resumes.

Uh oh.

Yeah :\

Rose: Yyjyrn yulk frobithh. John: was it jack? are you saying it was jack, rose?Rose: FRU'FRNUHUH JGOG HHGH.John: what's that, rose? are you getting aggravated that i am talking to you kind of like you are a dog?

John: that is a really nice pillow, by the way.John: it goes well with your weird dark skin and gothy ensemble.

John: you're welcome!

The trail continues.

Yes, that is Jade's banner that is untouched, and that is Dave's that is sliced in half like his logo.

> Examine tapestries.

Ripped to shreds. All but one, for some reason. WHO COULD HAVE POSSIBLY it was Jack stupid.

There's nothing else down here.

No choice but to ascend.

And ascend.

And ascend.

And...wait, what is it, John?
OH YES THIS IS CLEARLY THE CORRECT TIME TO BROACH THIS TOPIC
John, you are precious.

John: sorry, i'm just making conversation.John: i guess i am a little nervous...John: because technically, this is the first time we have ever met, and also, you are talking like an eldritch monster, so i'm kind of babbling.John: we don't actually have to get married though. i mean, not if you don't want to.

And that's it.

Thanks for reading Let's Play: [ S] Seer: Descend. Sorry there wasn't that much commentary in this one so feel free to provide your own! Regularly scheduled Drunkstuck updates should resume shortly.

So hopefully you've had a chance to read or play [ S] Seer: Descend again! Because otherwise the following flash page won't make a lot of sense.

> [ S] ==>
For lack of a better title, this is The One Where the Hero Gets Stabbed Through the Chest.
The song is "At the Price of Obvlivion". It's amazing how versatile the Chorale has been, eh?
Anyway, well, we'll revisit those two in a bit.

For now, let's have an end-of-disc chat with Dave and Terezi. I originally had a lot more for this but I needed to cut it down because this supposed to be a recap. Also, I am tired. As in, I want to get some sleep and my arms are sore from doing this for probably about 12 hours now.

Urgh, why did I waste my Saturday night?

Anyway.

TG: pulling swords out of things isnt how i rollTG: im not john rememberGC: 1 4M NOT FOLLOW1NGTG: im not a heroTG: my bro wasTG: john isTG: im notGC: Y3S YOU 4R3!TG: noGC: Y3S, W3 4LL 4R3GC: 1 4M TH3 H3RO OF M1NDGC: YOU 4R3 TH3 H3RO OF T1M3GC: TH4T 1S WHO W3 W3R3 CR34T3D TO B3TG: fine its a title we inherit as phlegm babies or whatever but what have i done to earn itTG: pretty much nothing but horsing around through time and swindling retarded alligators out of their life savingsTG: if that swords coming out of his chest its coming out cleanTG: taking it vertically means drawing more bloodTG: but horizontally means a clean break

Wouldn't Dave's modus prevent him from just grabbing it anyway? Nonetheless, between this and his last conversation with Davesprite Dave's inferiority complex regarding heroism is starting to come to the fore.

Anyway, I bet this is going to be totally sweet.

Okay, maybe not.

Spoiler:

GC: YOU MUST ST4ND T4LL, ONLY 4 TRU3 H3RO COULD PULL OFF SUCH 4N 4CROB4T1C FUCK1NG P1ROU3TT3 OFF OF TH4T H4NDL3 >:]TG: that is basically what i just did isnt itGC: Y3STG: thats what im doing here im making a point of makin every little thing take place what was once mentioned in passing no matter how seemingly trivial or pointlessTG: thats how all the best adventures get strung togetherTG: you havent heard me bleat like a goat for ironically humorous purposes yet have youGC: NO!!! >:oTG: that was something that was mentioned at some point by someone i forget when or whyTG: i bet you are on goddamn pins and needles waiting for that arent you

Careful Dave, you're getting awfully meta here!

GC: BUT TH4T 1S 4LL 1 W1LL S4YGC: R3M3MB3R, TH1S CONV3RS4T1ON 1S K1ND OF NOT SUPPOS3D TO B3 4BOUT YOU, 1 KNOW TH3 1D34 1S UNPR3C3D3NT3DTG: thats practically unthinkableGC: 1 KNOW >:pTG: but i mean ok we can talk about your troll problem but this is pretty important hereTG: the god tier thing and whether i can actually do it or notTG: it might be kind of hard to tell on account of me chilling face down on the pavement and also because downplaying feelings is the chief rule of cool but im pretty pissed about thisTG: which is weirdGC: 1TS W31RD TO F33L M4D?GC: 4R3 YOU TOO COOL FOR TH4T TOO??TG: no its not weird to be mad its just weird it feels like im the only one who is

Er, didn't we just get done watching... well actually I am pretty sure that this conversation occurs before the stuff we just saw with Rose and John.

GC: BUT FOR SOM3ON3 WHO JUST TOLD M3 TO FUCK OFF YOU 4R3 SUR3 B3ND1NG MY 34R SUDD3NLY >:]TG: but ok i mean isnt that what heroes should be doingTG: working to take down the bad guy without a whole lot of this fuckin grandiloquence and these huge sweeping plans that got nothin to do with fighting himTG: like always biding our time and tiptoeing around the unbeatable god bossTG: johns too nice to get madTG: rose spends all her time calculatingTG: too focused on machiavellian ploys of sabotage to try anything drasticTG: jade isTG: i dont even knowTG: probably more a liability if she got it in her head to take him downTG: if anything id bet she just needs protection

From our perspective, John just got mad and got rewarded with a sword through the chest, Rose is fighting him, and Jade... well, she's okay for now because he can't lay a finger on her.

But again, that's the future.

TG: maybe i am supposed to be a hero and rise to the occasion because there seems to be this little persistent voice in my head nagging me about itTG: insisting someones gotta payTG: and its hard for me to disagreeGC: TH3N 1T COULD M34N ON3 OF TWO TH1NGSGC: OR BOTH OF TH3 TWO TH1NGS, L1K3 1T D1D FOR M3 >:]TG: what thingsGC: 1T COULD M34N TH4T TH3 4G3NT PR3S3NTLY 1NFLU3NC1NG YOU 1S...GC: 4 CONSC13NC3GC: 4ND/ORGC: 4N 3X1L3

Okay, this is where I skip ahead a bit because while Dave being controlled by AR is hilarious it's also kind of time consuming.

Here's the other parallel. Both of the scourge sisters have been responsible for the death of many a young troll, yet when it comes down to taking out someone they've spent all this time with doubt creeps in. She tries to deflect some of it back to Dave, referring to his own inability to face mortatility that we already saw.

TG: id like to help you out but i dont know what advice i should be givingTG: to a member of a murderous species whos gunshy on going off to justicemurder a murderhappy murderer whose done lots of murdersTG: it feels pretty weird and inappropriate for me to be the one to tell you fuck yes go for it shes got this huge murder with her name on it anyways and its cruising right at her down comeuppance boulevard

"comeuppance boulevard" may be my favorite synonym for "hubris" now.

TG: so i dont knowTG: do you want me to tell you to be a better humanTG: or to be a better trollGC: 1 C4NT T3LL YOU WH4T TO 4DV1S3 M3, CHUMP4SS!GC: M4YB3 1M NOT 3V3N LOOK1NG FOR 4DV1C3 P3R S3GC: BUT JUST W4NT TO T4LK TO SOM3ON3 4BOUT 1TTG: alright well all ill say isTG: maybe if you kill her at least we can finally stop obsessing over herGC: *S1111GNNNN*GC: Y34H, F41R 3NOUGH

I'm a member of the Midnight Crew
I'm a night owl and a wisebird too
Home with the milk in the morning
Signin' the same old song
Rise with the moon
Go to bed with the sun
Early to bed and you'll miss all the fun!
Bring your wife to trouble
It will never trouble you
Make her a member of the Midnight Crew! :Whistle:

Predictably, you scratch the surface of the disc. What were you expecting? It's almost like you don't even know what a CD is.

With the disc damaged, who knows what sort of effects it will have on the data. Better store it somewhere safe to prevent any more mishaps.

You got your NEOPHYTE REDGLARE ROLEPLAYING OUTFIT!

What is this doing in here? You have not worn it since your Flarping days. The only part of it you kept on hand was the stylish pair of glasses, which of course since the incident has managed to become a regular accessory.

You got your PYRALSPITE PLUSH!

Pyralspite was your scalemate sidekick during your campaigns. He was the model of loyalty, friendship, and righteous retribution. More than could be said for another partner in justice.

There is no doubt about it anymore. She is clearly baiting you into confrontation.

You mean 88ing.

Clearly.

D:

Anyway, we finally read the note, and the ancestor entry. Again, I will try to preserve... relevant parts of the ancestor entries.

I was sure they'd drawn from the 8ottom of their deck, not intending to squander more competent mercenaries on one who'd made a show of outclassing them all 8efore. 8ut I discovered too l8 that Redglare was their wild card all along.

How is one allowed to 8e raised 8y a dragon in this era?

Apparently dragons didn't just become rare on Alternia.

Something 8locked the light of the un8itten moon, treating the har8or to darkness more grim than what fell this season's apogee. I made the mistake of looking into its eyes, each like a sun concentr8ted into a small jewel, as two hot garnets searing through a 8lack veil. I shut mine quickly, 8ut the more sensitive of them was 8urned irrepara8ly. When I regained sight in the other, there was only red.

It was kind of the authorities to supply me with phalanx of such impressiona8le spect8ors. The weak wills were nearly as thick in the air as the rust in their veins. Funny how my other senses seem to have piqued since exchanging glances with the dragon.

It was simple enough to nudge the hostility of the low8loods from one aristocrat to another. The su8juggl8ors could not have 8een pleased, 8ut nor could they have 8een altogether unamused, I would expect. I wonder if this was part of their unfathoma8le game? I'll never understand their riddles.

Gamzee is just living up to his inscrutable ancestors.

Had my escape not necessit8ed her demise, she would have made a lovely rival. If she'd only discarded her childish preoccup8tion with justice, we might have made a striking scourge.

Upon reflection, Redglare showed the foresight of a true seer in thieving my arm 8efore the trial.

I just quoted the two things above because of their applicability to the present story. There's more there, but if you wanted the full thing, you'd have read that instead.

Though I was free, I had no fleet. No matter. With the gam8lignants decim8ed, I'd em8raced the turn in fortune and pledged to put my seagrifting ways 8ehind me. With any luck, the skies will 8e my future. My thoughts again returned to that dragon.

8ut first, I was in need of temporary refuge. I sought it with the expatri8.

8ut the admir8ion he'd won naturally wore thin as he persistently 8emoaned his treason and 8anishment, and I was saddened to find this ha8it holding "STRONG" even now. I wonder if he still 8elieves she was worth it?

I cradled the oracle in my synthetic hand, as if appraising 8y w8 the mystic qualities it still concealed. With my vision 8fold seared away, I was as 8lind to its secrets as the old Doctor was to its present wherea8outs. I'd learned to keep it cloaked from the awareness of the man who once called me his protege, a 8ackhanded term of endearment from a smug manipul8or. Loc8ing his so called dark pockets was the only gam8it I had in countering his milktongued dou8lespeak. The expatri8 for indiscerni8le reasons seemed naturally surrounded 8y such a void in the Doctor's awareness, and so was uniquely fit to inherit the or8. The Doctor could not see his treasure, nor I into it.

Okay, I kept a lot of this intact. I wondered before how the ball had been concealed, and of course she points out many of the things we've come to realize about the Doctor.

Just in time for us to be guided through the rest of the act by him.

Knowing his n8ture, I'm surprised I only now recognize it as yet another instrument of his spurious 8enevolence, dangerous 8y way of selective divulgence. The sense of infalli8ility his oracle 8rought me was superficial, and in hindsight weakened my readiness. Knowing my f8 so far in advance, I took Redglare's threat lightly. The gr8est mistake I have ever made was asking the or8 when I would die.

8ut as I revisited the prophecy surrounding this unfortun8 query, something struck me. I thought of the man I would have as a m8sprit centuries from now, who was said to command an army of 8easts. The one it called the summoner.

And so it begins.

I did not have enough knowledge to ask the right questions when I had the opportunity. Were that the case, I might have asked if it would 8e his rare a8ilities of communion that would 8ring Pyralspite under control. Would it 8e on account of my influence? And if so, would I exert this influence 8y taking his will, or winning his heart?

Using the summoner to control a dragon would not be without precedent, of course. Well, reverse precedent anyway. See that flash I linked to up there.

He would rise through the ranks of the cavalreapers and assume command, having proven the most skilled and fearless of them. He would exhi8it a remarka8le pup8tion, the sort only recorded in myth, growing, or perhaps simply revealing, a striking pair of wings. His army thus inspired would spearhead a major re8ellion. Surely one at least on the scale of the sectarian revolt crushed 8y the High8loods, who thereafter for8ade its mention, or any invoc8tion of the heretical sym69ls at all, even in private journals. Which is why I will stick to the fa8le of the summoner, and not risk another execution with even o8lique reference to the compelling tale of the sufferer.

And this would be, until very recently, our only knowledge of Karkat's ancestor. (Fortunately, we also have some other sources.)

Resolution to the summoner's mutiny is foggy, as I only understand what has 8een rel8ed to me through the 8rief answers I thought to solicit. Ultim8ely, the ire of the Condesce would 8e such that in the settling dust of the conflict, she would 8anish all from the homeworld, except the young. She would scatter all who reached maturity to the stars to fight her wars, I presume to keep them occupied, existing in a less centralized st8 from which such a coup may arise. This is still an incredi8le notion for me to consider, and I cannot imagine how she would come to enforce such an upheaval in our civiliz8tion. Though I suppose she will have on her side the advantage of an unparalleled lifespan, and the leverage extended 8y the hideous psychic prongs of her deep undul8ing monstrosity. That is, until it chooses another little witch to serve. Nevertheless, I take the prediction as truth, and find it amusing that a homeworld domin8ed 8y children will 8e the gr8 summoner's legacy. One of them, at least.

More importantly, and less amusingly, his legacy will 8e my demise. You see, I first learned his name when I asked who would 8e the one to kill me.

And this is where we learn why Alternia is only inhabited by kids.

8ut as I sit here deciding what to do with the damna8le little sphere, I understand my error. It was not in failing to chart a course through future events to turn my fortune's tide, even so many sweeps from now. It was in 8elieving the future was mine to know, and fortune mine to control. If this hero is meant to 8reathe life into my em8ittered heart, and if he is to earn the right to run it through, then so 8e it. For him, I will commit to this page my highest expect8tions. And for what precious uncertainty is left in my future, I renew my vigorous anticip8tion.

The oracle I will resolve to part with. I will conceal it in a crypt 8earing the sign of the expatr8, with a map to its loc8tion hidden in this journal. To whomever finds it, 8e wary, for the truth it tells may leave its new keeper 8lind as I was. Though no more.

I don't think Mindfang meant that to be as literal as it turned out to be.

> [ S] Flip.
The disc, is, unfortunately, too badly damaged for us to continue. (Which is a real fucking shame, but alas.)

You will n««d to seek t÷e §ervice of so‰ê‡ne who is capaðle of fixing a scrath_

A s[G¤ratch dØctor, if y†[Gù will

And so it begins. This looks like a good point for me to stop, for now.